Unmanned vehicle antennae contact sensor systems and methods

Abstract

In some embodiments, systems and methods provide a retail delivery unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: a frame; a plurality of motors cooperated with the frame; a plurality of propellers each secured with one of the motors; a vehicle control circuit communicatively coupled with the motors and configured to control the motors in controlling the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and an array of a plurality of tactile sensor systems each comprising: an extended feeler antenna with a distal end proximate one of the propellers and configured to flex in response to a threshold pressure from contact with an external object; and a contact sensor configured to detect contact by the extended feeler antenna with the external object; wherein the extended feeler antennae are spaced around the frame and define at least outer most lateral perimeter points laterally spaced about the unmanned aerial vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retail delivery unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
 a frame;   a plurality of motors cooperated with the frame;   a plurality of propellers each secured with and driven by one of the plurality of motors to provide altitude and directional movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle;   a vehicle control circuit communicatively coupled with the motors and configured to control the motors in controlling the movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   an array of a plurality of tactile sensor systems each comprising:
 an extended feeler antenna extending from the frame with a distal end proximate one of the propellers and spaced from the frame, wherein the extended feeler antenna is configured to flex in response to a threshold pressure from contact with an external object; and 
 a contact sensor cooperated with the extended feeler antenna and configured to detect contact by the extended feeler antenna with the external object; 
   wherein the extended feeler antennae of the plurality of tactile sensor systems are spaced around the frame and define at least outer most lateral perimeter points laterally spaced about the unmanned aerial vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of a set of multiple extended feeler antennae of the plurality of feeler antennae comprises an electrically conductive contact pad exposed on an exterior surface of at least a portion of the extended feeler antenna;
 each of a set of multiple contact sensors of the plurality of contact sensors comprises an electrical charge storage system electrically coupled with the contact pad and configured to store over time accumulated electrical energy from static electricity, and a discharge sensor configured to detect a discharge of the charge storage system in response to contact by a corresponding one of the contact pads with the external object.   
     
     
         3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of a set of multiple extended feeler antennae of the plurality of feeler antennae comprises the contact sensor positioned proximate the distal end of the respective extended feeler antenna, wherein the contact sensor comprises an inertial sensor communicatively coupled with the vehicle control circuit and configured to communicate contact sensor data comprising inertia data to the vehicle control circuit, and the vehicle control circuit is configured make a determination that there has been contact with the external object based on identifying from the inertial data a threshold inertia change of at least a portion of at least one of the extended feeler antennae of the set of multiple extended feeler antennae. 
     
     
         4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature change detection system coupled with a temperature conductive surface exposed on an exterior surface of each of a set of multiple extended feeler antennae of the plurality of extended feeler antennae, wherein the temperature change detection system is configured to detect a threshold change in temperature from at least one of the temperature conductive surfaces within a threshold period;   wherein each of a temperature control systems is coupled with the vehicle control circuit and configured to communicate temperature change sensor data to the vehicle control circuit, and wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured make a determination that there has been contact with the external object based on the temperature change sensor data.   
     
     
         5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to:
 receive contact sensor data from a first contact sensor cooperated with a first extended feeler antenna in response to the first extended feeler antenna contacting the external object;   identify a first propeller that is positioned closest to the first extended feeler antenna; and   induce an evasive increase in rotational speed of the first propeller in response to contact sensor data indicating contact of the first extended feeler antenna with the external object, while not increasing rotational speed of one or more of the other of the plurality of propellers, and causing at least a portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle proximate the first propeller to move away from the contact.   
     
     
         6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of motor controllers configured to control one of the plurality of motors;   wherein each of the plurality of motor controllers is directly communicatively coupled with at least one of the contact sensors and configured to receive sensor data from the at least one contact sensor corresponding to a first propeller, and immediately adjust a corresponding first motor to induce an evasive change in rotational speed of the first propeller in response to the received contact sensor data indicating contact with the external object by a first extended feeler antenna corresponding to the at least one contact sensor, while not increasing rotational speed of one or more of the other of the plurality of propellers, and causing at least a portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle proximate the first propeller to move away from the contact.   
     
     
         7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the extended feeler antennae comprises a detach coupling configured to cause at least a portion of the extended feeler antenna to detach from the frame in response to a threshold pull force applied to the extended feeler antenna that is directed away from the frame. 
     
     
         8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of extended feeler antennae comprise multiple prong sections positioned at the distal end of the respective extended feeler antenna and about a corresponding one of the propellers proximate the respective extended feeler antenna. 
     
     
         9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of antenna motors each cooperated with one of the extended feeler antennae and communicatively coupled with the vehicle control circuit, wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to control the plurality of antenna motors to cause a change of position of the extended feeler antennae relative to the frame.   
     
     
         10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to control the plurality of antenna motors to cause a distal end of each of the plurality of extended feeler antennae to repeatedly sweep along a movement path proximate a corresponding one of the plurality of propellers. 
     
     
         11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to identify a direction of travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle and to control one or more of the plurality of antenna motors to position one or more of the extended feeler antennae to align with the direction of travel. 
     
     
         12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein a first feeler antenna comprises a hinge between two longitudinal body sections;
 a first antenna motor of the plurality of antenna motors is configured to cause the first extended feeler antenna to bend at the hinge; and   wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to control the first antenna motor in response to a direction of travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle exceeding a speed threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one additional proximity sensor coupled with the vehicle control circuit and configured to communicate proximity sensor data to the vehicle control circuit; and   wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to control at least a first antenna motor of the plurality of antenna motors to move a distal end of a first extended feeler antenna cooperated with the first antenna motor relative to a first propeller based on the proximity sensor data.   
     
     
         14 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the extended feeler antennae comprise a longitudinal body configured to deflect in response to contact and exert an increasing opposing force as a function of the amount of deflection within a deflection threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the extended feeler antennae comprise:
 a longitudinal body extending away from the frame; and   a spring member cooperated with the longitudinal body, wherein the spring member is configured to deflect in response to the longitudinal body contacting the external object enabling the flexing of the extended feeler antennae.   
     
     
         16 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle control circuit is configured to detect a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle greater than a speed threshold in a first direction and cause one or more of the plurality of extended feeler antennae to be put in a stowed position as a function of the first direction and in response to the speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle being greater than the speed threshold. 
     
     
         17 . A method of delivering retail products using a retail delivery unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:
 receiving, at a vehicle control circuit of a retail delivery unmanned aerial vehicle, a delivery route to a delivery location;   controlling a plurality of motors cooperated with a frame of the unmanned aerial vehicle to each drive one of a plurality of propellers to provide altitude and directional movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle in accordance with the delivery route;   receiving, at the vehicle control circuit, contact sensor data from one or more of an array of a plurality of tactile sensor systems each comprising: an extended feeler antenna extending from the frame with a distal end proximate one of the propellers and spaced from the frame, wherein the extended feeler antenna is configured to flex in response to a threshold pressure from contact with an external object; and a contact sensor cooperated with the extended feeler antenna and configured to detect contact by the extended feeler antenna with the external object;   wherein the extended feeler antennae of the plurality of tactile sensor systems are spaced around the frame and define at least outer most lateral perimeter points laterally spaced about the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   controlling at least one of the motors in response to the contact sensor data.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 storing electrical energy accumulated over time from static electricity in an electrical charge storage system of each of a set of multiple contact sensors of the plurality of contact sensors; and   detecting a discharge of at least some of the electrical charge stored in a corresponding one of the charge storage systems in response to contact of an electrically conductive contact pad, exposed on an exterior surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of extended feeler antennae, with the external object.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the receiving the contact sensor data comprises receiving contact sensor data from a first contact sensor cooperated with a first extended feeler antenna in response to the first extended feeler antenna contacting the external object;
 identifying a first propeller that is positioned closest to the first extended feeler antenna; and   wherein the controlling at least one of the motors in response to the contact sensor data comprises inducing an evasive increase in rotational speed of the first propeller in response to contact sensor data indicating contact of the first extended feeler antenna with the external object, while not increasing rotational speed of one or more of the other of the plurality of propellers, and causing at least a portion of the unmanned aerial vehicle proximate the first propeller to move away from the contact.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 controlling a plurality of antenna motors to cause a change of position of the extended feeler antennae relative to the frame.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the controlling the plurality of antenna motors to cause the change of position of the extended feeler antennae comprises controlling the plurality of antenna motors to cause a distal end of each of the plurality of extended feeler antennae to repeatedly sweep along a movement path proximate a corresponding one of the plurality of propellers. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the controlling the plurality of antenna motors to cause the change of position of the extended feeler antennae comprises:
 identifying a direction of travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   controlling one or more of the plurality of antenna motors to position one or more of the extended feeler antennae to align with the direction of travel.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the controlling the plurality of antenna motors to cause the change of position of the extended feeler antennae comprises controlling a first antenna motor of the plurality of antenna motors causing a first extended feeler antenna to bend at a hinge of the first extended feeler antenna in response to a direction of travel of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a speed of the unmanned aerial vehicle exceeding a speed threshold. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 obtaining proximity sensor data from at least one additional proximity sensor of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and   wherein the controlling the plurality of antenna motors to cause the change of position of the extended feeler antennae comprises controlling at least a first antenna motor of the plurality of antenna motors to move a distal end of a first extended feeler antenna cooperated with the first antenna motor relative to a first propeller based on the proximity sensor data.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the receiving, at the vehicle control circuit, the contact sensor data comprises   receiving inertia data from at least one of a set of multiple extended feeler antennae of the plurality of feeler antennae comprising an inertial sensor positioned proximate the distal end of the respective extended feeler antenna;   identifying from the inertial data a threshold inertia change of at least a portion of the at least one of the extended feeler antennae of the set of multiple extended feeler antennae; and   making a determination that there has been contact with the external object based on the identified threshold inertia change of at least the portion of the at least one of the extended feeler antennae.